


Inevitably

by ShadeofGreen



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Not Canon Compliant, Past Relationship(s), Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Please Read Author Note, Pre-Canon, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27993156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeofGreen/pseuds/ShadeofGreen
Summary: There was once a man who left his lover and her (their) child.  Obviously, it leads to future events no one would expect.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Shido Masayoshi, Akechi Goro's Mother/Shido Masayoshi
Kudos: 5





	Inevitably

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know how to tag it in the additional tags, but Shido (and a few others, though it's not straight forward like him) says impolite things about Goro Akechi's mother, so be warn. And while I did tagged this as 'Akechi Goro's Mother/Shido Masayoshi', it's quite minor and in flashback, but I felt the need the tag their relationship since it's a driving point of the fic, which is why I also put 'Past Relationship(s)'.

_Congratulations on graduating. You waited for this day for so long. I hope this letter will somehow reach you in a good, readable condition. If not, please stop reading, random stranger._

_To my sweet child, know that you’re now one step closer to being a proper adult. Know that life isn’t going to easy. You must persevere through everything life throws at you. The good times, the bad times, and even the times where an emotion can’t be described._

_I know that you’ll hate me now and forever for what I done. You’ll hate me until your dying breath, cursing me for ruining a memory that should special, and now one of misery and grief. Or perhaps you’ll just pretend I never exist, and move on with your life, treating this memory as if it never happened to you, but to someone else._

_I won’t judge you for whatever choice you pick. A mother isn’t supposed to be judgmental._

_Just know that I made my decision, and that you must pick yours. Like a captain guiding a ship through a raging storm at sea, whatever decision you make has to be final. You have to trust your choice, and go through with it. Keep steadfast, like how a lion keeps his pride together and safe, and how one seeks justice of the world with or without blindfolds covering their eyes._

_Continue on the path you have paved for yourself._

* * *

It’s hard to find a good cup of coffee nowadays. Shido got very close with this one old man’s café, but his business skills were terrible, and it was shut down, taking over by his son. Shido searched far and wide, but ended up with nothing. Maybe he should take up bourbon, or scotch, or brandy. He could pick one of the three up when returning back to his apartment tonight. Either way, he needed something to drink, especially after learning what happened to Fumine.

Seven years ago, Shido learn Fumine gave birth to that damn brat, thanks to a letter. Fumine told him she and their ( **her** ) kid would move out of the city, but not back to her hometown. _Hopefully_ , Fumine wrote, _our son would never cross past with you until I’m good as dead._

Most women in her situation would have dump their kid in the nearest children’s institution, forcing them into a life where they can never be adopted. Oh, how Fumine thought from the goodness of her hooker heart to not further ruin her son’s life. And look what happened.

Frankly, Shido doubt he would have learned about Fumine’s death if those nonstop chattering women at the elevator kept the volume low. His office was located in their vicinity, and he had the wonderful pleasure to hear it all. One of the ladies’ neighbor — Akechi—was found dead. Her son had come home from the public bathhouse—

_“Wait…why was he at the public bathhouse?”_

_“You know why! I told you before a few weeks ago! Remember? She kicked him out of the house for ‘company’, remember? I asked him why he was in the store to begin with.”_

_“Oh…right. I remember now, Miki. How kind of you to give money to someone like **him**.”_

_“I know! But it wasn’t that bad though. That Akechi boy knows his manners. He’s very polite. I hope he got it from his gentleman of a father. Or close to a gentleman of a father.”_

After getting an on-duty police officer to break down door, the two eventually had to call the police, for she was found in her bathroom, the water still pouring out of the tub.

Even though Shido knew Fumine as Fumiyo Akita, her birth name was Fumine Akechi. She let it slip one time. They were at his place of all things, having a discussion about their names. Shido proudly explain what his name means, and to why his mother gave it to him. Fumine was quiet, and asked if Shido can keep a secret, and he answered yes.

_“Akechi? Your real surname is Akechi? Is that why your fake first name is Fumiyo? Don’t tell me you were in a relationship with someone name Kogoro!”_

_“I told you before, and I’ll tell you again. I’m an unmarried woman, Shido. Do you think I would be in this line of work if I was married? And if you must know, I enjoy reading Edogawa Ranpo’s works! Who doesn’t like reading a mystery as well?”_

_“Fair enough, Fumine. That’s reasonable for me to understand.”_

***

Now, Shido didn’t want to go the funeral service, especially to one that belongs to a whore. But he kept on thinking over the damn conversation in his mind. It couldn’t leave his head!

Taking precaution, Shido at least went in a more…mundane outfit one fit for a funeral. What helps is he also had a hat with a large enough brim to cover his face. He mainly wore it when visiting Fumine back then, before he decided to shave off his hair to attractive better company.

Shido saw a few neighbors there, and he felt glad to see unfamiliar faces. If that Miki woman was around, everything would blow up for the worst. As Shido gently pushed aside the strangers, there did Shido spotted him. Sitting alone on a wooden chair in a corner, clutching a toy gun as if his life depended on it, was the boy. His brown hair was long, but not quite as long like Fumine. He had her facial structure, her eye shape…the boy resembled Fumine so much.

He couldn’t call the boy a ghost, for the child had Shido’s eyes color. That’s the only thing the boy inherited from him.

Shido soon heard the sounds of disgust coming out strangers’ mouths. He would have done so too, but the boy was now staring at him. Oh, how children like the boy are the plague. They’re ruining the structure of society with their mere existence. Seeing the boy made Shido remembered something he thought he had forgotten until how. Once in his youth, a scandal broke out in his hometown. It was regarding a student in his high school.

As it turned out, the student’s mother lied regarding the status of their family. The truth only came out after a nosy neighbor overheard the mother and father arguing over the latter’s second marriage, and it spiraled from there, spreading like a fire. Everyone tried to keep it under wraps, for the student didn’t know of his status. Just looking at him, one wouldn’t expect him to be a bastard child. He was popular, intelligent, and at the top of his class. To everyone, he was just a boy who parents got a divorce when he was a very young infant.

The student found out when graduating high school. The student told everyone he was supposed to meet his mother at the gates, instead of hanging out with his friends. However, the mother never arrived. Shido can remember how that poor son of a bitch waited, until deciding to walk home.

To think the poor student had to learn of his mother’s death when seeing police cars parked outside their house. Everyone had the great luck to walk past by it. Worse, everyone saw how one elderly neighbor who was always kind to people, even if the person never deserved it, gave the bastard an envelope the mother hid underneath a book. The old woman was the one who found the body, and snuck it out before calling the police.

Obviously, the mother couldn’t keep it up anymore, and took the same decision as Fumine did. Shido felt the bastard student deserve it. The bastard was living the easy life, and now the past was catching up to him. The bastard deserved it back then, and deserved it now. The bastard was leeching off from society, and realistically, shouldn’t be born at all.

But there’s no way to change the past for the bastard to be born. All Shido can do now is to just mull over it. Mulling over the past, Shido can’t but admit seeing the boy and his toy gun…hurts, if only a little. He will never care for the child in any way or form, not now and in the future, but that doesn’t mean there are times he can show sympathy.

To think Fumine got her son an early Christmas present before dying. To think the boy few precious memories of his mother will be ruined by this life changing event. To think that it reminded Shido of something that felt more of a dream than a memory. History has a funny sense of humor, repeating itself when least unexpected.

_“To think that poor, poor woman’s life was cut short due to that thing!”_

_“I wouldn’t say ‘cut short’. And call me a cold-hearted bitch, but I think her son is better off without her. That’s saying something, given how I tolerated his mother.”_

_“Maybe… he is such a polite person after all...”_

_“I wonder if we should contact his father…”_

_“Hah! I say we let the lucky man be free of this burden!”_

As the boy gave out a sniffle, he looked back down. Shido took this time to turn around and take his leave. Hopefully, Fumine didn’t tell her ( **their** ) son a damn thing of their fucked-up family.

But if she did, then Shido wished all the luck in the world to the boy. Even though Shido believe it’s better to be ignorant and pretend these things never happened, sometimes knowing the truth can shape one’s future. The truth sometimes may be the key for someone, for them to have a life that’s much better than being lower than dirt.

* * *

_…That said, I hope you grant a dead woman a final wish though. Even though I won’t see it, I feel my wish will help shape your future. May that will be my true final gift to you. My final gift for you is this: the advice to never change or hide your surname._

_Let your surname be spoken by those who admire you._

_Let your surname be spoken by those who hate you._

_Let your surname and blood empower you, Masayoshi, until you see the end of your goal._

**Author's Note:**

> I should also say given Shido's character, he definitely screams 'raised in a proper family with a mother and father.' However, I always wanted to write an "What If Atlus Tried Giving Him a 'Sob' Story Most of the Other Targets Has" Fic and I went 'How would that even work?'. It's only recently did I decided I can do it by rehashing the bastard child angle, but only differently that won't change the canonical son of a bitch that he is, which is also why I tagged it as 'Not Canon Compliant'.


End file.
